Luke Hughes made a third visit to Carrara in August to select the marble from the quarries above Pietra Santa for the new holy table for St Giles’ Cathedral. The main table block, weighing 2.9 tonnes, will be made from a single bush-hammered Calacata marble, with black veined steps made in Nero Marquinia. The whole construction is due to be installed in time for St Andrew’s Day on 30 November 2010.
There has been considerable debate about how the marble will be conveyed through the nave and into position under the central tower. The structural engineer for the project is Bryan Edie of Arup and the cathedral architect responsible for enabling works is Graham Tristram.
The installation closely coincides with the 450th anniversary of the day (24 August 1560) when the Scottish Parliament formally broke the link with the pre-Reformation church.